Q - I work in general practice and run a clinic for patients with diabetes. The doctors, with whom I work, have compiled a list of medicines that I am able to administer to these patients. I am unsure as to whether I should do this.
A - Practice protocol on its own will not cover a nurse to supply and/or administer medicines. A Patient Specific Direction (PSD) or a Patient Group Direction (PGD) must be in place.
Under a PSD, medicines need to be prescribed for patients on a named-patient basis by a registered prescriber. If a list of patients to be given medicines were produced, and signed off by a registered prescriber, this would be classified as a PSD. However, this would not seem practicable in the situation that you have described i.e. a diabetic clinic.
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